Silence is not golden

Rajdeep Sardesai, "a hardened Mumbaikar" and editor-in-chief of IBN 18 broadcast network, could not bring himself to celebrate Mumbai Indians' triumph in the IPL final last week for one simple reason, as he explains in the Hindustan Times.

Apparently, stringent and lucrative player and commentary contracts are seen to have 'bought' the silence of our icons. Last year, all cricket players, past and present were given hefty cheques as retirement benefits. It was a nice gesture by the board, but one that appears to have been designed to ensure servility. Today, our star cricketers are either players, mentors, brand ambassadors, commentators or selectors: all subject to the BCCI's diktats, each compromised by the relentless desire to be on the gravy train. The few like Bishen Bedi and Kirti Azad who have spoken out are branded permanent angry rebels driven by personal agendas.

Politics and cricket have been an unholy marriage in India for years. An editorial in DNA elaborates on how the former has affected the latter in recent times.

The Hindu paints a telling picture of the state of Indian cricket's administrative body.